Sewing 101

Now that you know how to shop for materials, it’s time to sew. But how in the world do you go about doing that? This one’s for you, Neko_Sarah!

So I could totally write a post on hand and machine sewing basics, but I think there’s plenty of resources out there that do it a lot better than I ever could. So here’s a little crash course guide to some basics that will get you sewing in no time.

If you don’t have access to a sewing machine, and aren’t ready to invest in one (those suckers don’t come cheap!), you’ll be picking up a needle and thread. The only real thing you need to know to get started is a few basic stitches, and here’s where you can find them:

Your Mother – or grandma, or sister, or friend – for most people, having someone show them how to do something is much simpler than reading about it. If you have this valuable resource, take advantage of it!

The Internet – There are plenty of tutorials with diagrams on hand and machine sewing on the internet, with the links above being just a few examples. Everyone learns differently, so do a search and look around to find the guide or tutorial that works best for you.

Books – If you’re willing to spend a little money, I would suggest Simplicity’s Simply the Best Sewing Book. If you have a machine you can use or plan on buying one I would also strongly recommend Sew U – I wish I had this when I had started sewing! It comes with free patterns and even has a guide to shopping for sewing machines, another thing that sure would have helped me out in the past.

One last piece of advice – Don’t wait until the last minute to make your costume! It will only lead to frustration and most likely an unsatisfactory outfit.

3 Responses to Sewing 101

I’d like to make my first cosplay costume, but I’m not sure how to even get started, is there a pattern for cosplay costumes that I can order??? I’d like to make a Code Geass costume, specifically the one C.C. wears in R2 (the costume in the middle).

I would like to make Matsumoto”s Soul Reaper outfit, i’ll need to sew by hand. Can you help me figure out what fabric i should use and how much. Or do i still need to use a pattern even when i’m doing it by hand?